A Sculpture for Sculpture

A welcoming destination for visitors, the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden is itself a remarkable work of art. Its acre of trees, sloping walls, lawns, and pavers form a brilliant frame for outdoor sculpture. With 25 works from the MFAH collection, and still more on loan, the sculpture garden’s highlights include works by Louise Bourgeois, Ellsworth Kelly, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, and Pablo Picasso. Isamu Noguchi, the legendary sculptor known for his fusing of Modernism with world culture, was commissioned to design the site in 1976. He refined his concept over the next five years in response to Houston’s environment, working closely with Peter C. Marzio, director of the MFAH from 1982 until 2010. Cullen Sculpture Garden opened on April 5, 1986, with John Cage performing the world premiere of his composition Ryoanjii.